be glorified also in them, because they are his good gifts, and created
to do man help and service. There is not almost one nobleman, gentleman,
or merchant that hath not great store of these flowers, which now also do
begin to wax so well acquainted with our soils that we may almost account
of them as parcel of our own commodities. They have no less regard in like
sort to cherish medicinable herbs fetched out of other regions nearer
hand, insomuch that I have seen in some one garden to the number of three
hundred or four hundred of them, if not more, of the half of whose names
within forty years past we had no manner of knowledge. But herein I find
some cause of just complaint, for that we extol their uses so far that we
fall into contempt of our own, which are in truth more beneficial and apt
for us than such as grow elsewhere, sith (as I said before) every region
hath abundantly within her own limits whatsoever is needful and most
convenient for them that dwell therein. How do men extol the use of
tobacco[88] in my time, whereas in truth (whether the cause be in the
repugnancy of our constitution unto the operation thereof, or that the
ground doth alter her force, I cannot tell) it is not found of so great
efficacy as they write. And beside this, our common germander or thistle
benet is found and known to be so wholesome and of so great power in
medicine as any other herb, if they be used accordingly. I could exemplify
after the like manner in sundry other, as the _Salsa parilla_,
_Mochoacan_, etc., but I forbear so to do, because I covet to be brief.
And truly, the estimation and credit that we yield and give unto compound
medicines made with foreign drugs is one great cause wherefore the full
knowledge and use of our own simples hath been so long raked up in the
embers. And as this may be verified so to be one sound conclusion, for,
the greater number of simples that go unto any compound medicine, the
greater confusion is found therein, because the qualities and operations
of very few of the particulars are thoroughly known. And even so our
continual desire of strange drugs, whereby the physician and apothecary
only hath the benefit, is no small cause that the use of our simples here
at home doth go to loss, and that we tread those herbs under our feet,
whose forces if we knew, and could apply them to our necessities, we would
honour and have in reverence as to their case behoveth. Alas! what have we
to do with such